Perfume atomizer



Dec. 30, 1952 A, CHRS-NEN 2,623,784

PERFUME ATOMIZER Filed Nov. '5, 1949 IA zu, I im s ATTORNEY PatentedDec. 30, 1952 UNITED STATES DATEN? QFFIC.

PERFUME ATOMIZER Albert Christen, Geneva, Switzerland, assigner to E. C.I. Handels und Industrie Anstalt Etablissement du Commerce et dellndustrie, Vaduz, Liechtenstein, a corporation of LiechtensteinApplication November 3, 1949, Serial Nc. 125,337 In Switzerland November15, 1948 A large number of types of atomizers or scent sprays havealready been proposed for atomizing perfumes and scents and they aregenerally satisfactory when they are used daily, but their operationbecomes faulty when by reason of a protracted duration cf nonuse, dryperfume drops clog the suction tube provided for the perfume enteringthe container of the atomizer or again the tube feeding air to saidcontainer.

Such atomizers include generally a perfume container into which opens apipe for feeding into it the air that is to take the place of theatomized perfume and a perfume delivery tube through which said perfumeis sucked by a jet of air produced when a hand controlled pump isactuated, the piston of which'is submitted to the action of a spring andslides inside a cylinder.

Now my invention has for its object an atomizer of the type disclosedthat is capable of removing the above mentioned drawback by reason ofthe fact that it includes means for closing the tubes through which theair is admitted and the perfume is delivered.

I have illustrated diagrammatically in accompanying drawing by way ofexample two preferred embodiments of my improved atomizer. In saiddrawings:

Fig. 1 is an outer view of my improved atomizer or scent spray.

Fig. 2 is a part sectional view through the plane containing the axis ofthe piston and that bodiment of a scent spray according to my invention.

In accompanying drawing only those members and parts necessary for a.proper understanding of the invention have been illustrated in order toavoid an unnecessary overloading of the drawing.

The atomizer or scent spray illustrated in Figs. l, 2 and 3 includes asin the case of other atomizers a casing l provided with an innercontainer 2 for the scent and a pump including a cylinder 3 inside whichslides a piston that is not illustrated and that is submitted to theaction of a spring and is controlled by hand operated member 4. Thecylinder 3 and the container 2 are carried by a common support 5provided with an air delivery channel E connecting the cylinder chamber3 with a nozzle 'l' on the outside of the support 5 while two furtherchannels 8 and 9 open inside the container 2.

The channel 5 2 Claims. (Cl. NS2-38) is adapted to provide for theentrance of air inside the container 2 while the scent is being suckedthrough the chanel 9 and lower tubular extension thereof by reason ofthe pressure exerted by the air jet passing out of the nozzle l. Thecasing I is provided with an opening or gate 22 registering with outputend of the nozzle 1.

As illustrated, the atomizer or scent spray according to the inventionis provided with means for closing the channels 3 and 9 that aresubmitted to an elastic action for holding said channels normallyclosed. These closing means are constituted in the embodimentillustrated by way of example by two closing members I2 and I3 carriedby an actuating member, in the case illustrated a lever lil pivotallymounted on a spindle II, rigid with the support member t. Each closingmember l2, I3 carries a needle valve I4 and a washer I5 of yielding andelastic material. The member l2 cooperates with an air inlet nozzle 25asscciated with the channel 8 while the member I3 cooperates with anozzle d associated with the scent vchannel 9.

The lever Ill carries at one end a semi-circularly recessed partprovided with two studs I6 engaging freely a groove I'I provided in thecontrol member lvsubmitted to the action of a spring I9 and sliding overa guide member 23 rigid with the carrier 5. The lever I carriesfurthermore a shutter member 2l adapted to close the gate 22 in thecasing wall referred to hereinabove.

The operation of the atomizer described is as follows:

In its inoperative position illustrated in the drawing, the spring I9projects the control member I8 through the wall of casing I whereby theneedle valves I4 are held by the lever Ill] inside thev bores providedin the corresponding nozzles 25, 25 and furthermore the packings orwashers I5 are urged against the ends of said nozzles. Thus the channels8 and 9 are completely sealed and the possible losses of the scentcontained in the container 2 through evaporation are neglisible. y

After disengagement of the two parts of ya bolt of which only the part23 is illustrated, and that holds the hand operated control member 4into its collapsed position against the action of its spring, theoperator should set his or lier forefinger on the control member I3 andhis or her thumb on the now released member 4 after which the operatorexerts a double thrust in antagonism with the action of the spring I9and with that of the spring returning the pump piston back.

Inspection of accompanying drawings shows that such a, thrust producesThe rocking of the lever I through an axial shifting of the pushermember I8 and thereby a release of the needle valves I It that move awayfrom the corresponding nozzles and also an uncovering of the gate oropening 22.

The actuation of ithe pump piston in antagonism with its spring so as toproduce the delivery of a stream of air through the nozzle 'I andthereby a suction of the scent through the channel 9, which provides theatomization and projection of the scent through the gate 22 of thecasing.

When the operator releases the control members 4 and I8, the spring I 9produces the reengagement of the needle valves inside Ithe correspondingnozzles while the return spring of the pump moves the member 4 back intoits starting position as illustrated in Fig. 1.

Thus through each actuation of the pump the operator producesautomatically the opening of the channels 8 :and 9, while their closingYis obtained automatically by `the spring I9 as soon as the operatorreleases fthe member 4 controlling the atomizer pump. The succession ofsuch engagements and releases of the needle f valves inside thecorresponding nozzles produces an automatic cleaning of said nozzleswhereby if for any unforeseeable reason whatever a dried drop of scentwere to close one of said nozzles, a further actuation of the atomizerprovides au tomatically for their cleaning Iand restores consequentlythe atomizer into its prior operative conditions.

In the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 4, the lever I' pivotally securedat Il to the common support is submitted directly to the action of aspring 30 bearing against said support 5. The member controlling saidlever is constituted by an auxiliary piston 3| slidably carried in arecess provided in the support 5 and opening into the air-deliverychannel 6.

The closing members I2 and I3 are similar to those described withreference to Figs. 2 and 3; however they are provided with needle valves32, the length of which is suicient for them 4to remain always engagedinside the corresponding nozzles 25 and 2t while in contra-distinction,their diameters are clearly smaller than the diameter of the channelsbored in said nozzles 2S and 25.

Furthermore, the channels 8 and 9 are rectilinear so as to avoid as faras possible any settling of scent drops therein.

The operation of this atomizer is similar to that of the atomizerdescribed with reference to Figs. 1, 2, 3; however the actuation of thelever i0 in opposition to its return spring 30 is performed through theauxiliary piston 3I that is submitted to the air pressure prevailing inIthe channel 6 when the atomizer pump is being operated. This providesconsequently an entirely automatic actuation of the lever I0. Asdescribed hereinabove, and as illustrated in Fig. 4, the needle valves32 remain always in engagement with the inside of the nozzles 25 and 26.The length of said needle valves is suiicient for them to passthroughout the channels 8 and 9 and to enter the actual scent containerwhen the said channels 8 and 9 are closed, as illustrated in full lines.Thus when the lever I0 is actuated the movements of said needle valvesproduce a cleaning of the channels 8 and 9 throughout their length. Toallow the suction of scent through the nozzle 26, the diameter of thebore through the latter should be larger than that of the needle valve32 passing through it. Furthermore in order to prevent said needle valvefrom forming too considerable a hindrance in the path of Ithe air jetpassing out of the nozzle 1, said needle valve is provided with a atpart 33 located immediately above the nozzle 26 when the closing memberis raised and inoperative. This flat part 33 does not form then anobjectionable hindrance for the jet of air passing out of the nozzle 1.Obviously said ilat part 33 should have a breadth that is not greaterthan the bore in the nozzle 25. Furthermore, the needle valves aresecured to the lever I0 through the agency of the sealing members I5made of yielding and elastic material whereby said needle valves do notrisk by any means becoming wedged inside the nozzles through a possibleangular movement of the lever I0.

From the preceding disclosure and from inspection of accompanyingdrawing, it is readily apparent that the atomizer or scent spraydisclosed has considerable advantages over the conventional arrangementsof similar type. Obviously the two embodiments described by way ofexample hereinabove may be modified in their structural details withoutunduly modifying thereby the scope of the invention as defined invaccompanying claims.

What I claim is:

l. In a perfume atomizer, the combination, comprising, a container, anair inlet conduit extending through the wall of the container, |aperfume outlet conduit extending through the Wall of the container atleast the perfume conduit having adjacent the outlet `a portion ofuniform cross section, 1an air conduit extending through the wall of thecontainer and having an outlet opening Iadjacent to the perfume outlet,and lever means movably mounted on the container and in one positionadjacent the perfume outlet, needles carried by the lever means andrespectivelyY penetrating and thereby cleaning the outlets oftheirrelated air inlet conduit and perfume outlet conduit, elastic washerscarried by the lever means for mounting each needle and closing theirrelated inlet and outlet when the lever means is inactive, said needlesbeing of a length substantial-ly equal to the lengths of their conduits,and the needle in the perfume outlet h'avingjg-fiattened portion deninga plane parallel to the access of the air outlet, and, upon movement ofthe lever means from closing position being placed in front of the airoutlet Iand in a plane parallel to the :axis thereof.

2. In a perfume atomizer according to claim 1 wherein the lever means isfulcrumed on the container, and a plunger for controlling the lever yandsubject to lthe pressure within the air outlet conduit when the atomizeris operated.

ALBERT CHRISTEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the iile'ofthis patent: Y

UNITED STATES PATENTS

